The present exemplary embodiments relate to devices for clearing clogged drains. They find particular application in conjunction with toilet plungers, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.
A well-known method for clearing a clogged toilet drain includes using a toilet plunger to apply pressure and/or suction to the drain line to clear the obstruction. Toilet plungers have existed in one form or another for virtually as long as the conventional toilet. A typical plunger includes a deformable plunger head secured to the end of a handle. The deformable head is placed in the toilet bowl over the toilet drain opening and the handle is moved up and down to cause a flexing of the deformable plunger head. On the downward stroke, the plunger head displaces water to apply a pressure to the drain line. On the contrary, as the handle is moved upward, a suction may be applied to the drain line. When properly performed, the alternating pressure/suction is, in most cases, sufficient to clear the drain line.
Modern toilets implement special features to conserve water. Such low-flow toilets may use as little as a gallon of water per flush. To achieve adequate functionality with such low flow, these toilets have specially-designed drain openings with more narrow passageways and many also employ a siphon jet for aiding in evacuation of the toilet bowl. A siphon jet is an opening towards the front of the bowl the directs water from the toilet tank directly into the toilet drain opening to aid with transporting waste into the toilet drain line.
Due to these changes in toilet design, many modern toilets are more difficult to clear with a conventional plunger. Conventional plungers can be too wide to fit properly into the narrow throat of the newer toilet. As such, an inadequate seal is often achieved. In addition, even if a sufficient seal is achieved around the throat, the existences of the siphon jet within the throat can provide a path of leakage during the plunging operation such that full pressure/suction cannot be applied to the clog within the drain line. Thus, conventional plungers are often not generally well-suited to provide sufficient pressure or suction for the purpose of dislodging obstructions in newer toilets.